


Angel Cake

by alex_caligari



Category: Guild Hunter - Nalini Singh
Genre: Angels, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Post-Archangel's War, Wingfluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:07:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23137408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alex_caligari/pseuds/alex_caligari
Summary: “Want to go flying?”Illium stilled. Aodhan didn’t turn, but he saw Illium tuck his wings in closer to his body. “Might need to give you a rain check on that one.”“Unless you go with me.” Aodhan looked at him out of the corner of his eye, staying very still. If he moved, it would betray his plan.
Relationships: Aodhan/Illium (Guild Hunter)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 66





	Angel Cake

**Author's Note:**

> I was unable to sleep and decided I needed some Bluebell/Sparkle (Sparklebell?) fic, and was devastated to see fewer than half a dozen stories with the pairing. Well, as they say, be the trouble you want to see in the world...

Aodhan drifted over New York, taking in the damage and the repairs still left to do. A month after the War of the Dead, as people were calling it, still saw deep scars in the cityscape. But New York was not a city to be beaten down for long. Scaffolding and cranes covered the skyline like ants swarming their nest. People and vampires filled the streets, angels dotted the skies, the dead were remembered, and the wounded were recovering their strength.

Speaking of which, a lone figure on a rooftop caught Aodhan’s eye. He was swinging a sword in an intricate dance, dressed in fighting leathers and loose pants. His speed and power made it impossible to think he was human, and he could almost be mistaken for a vampire if not for the short wing stumps sprouting from his back.

Illium usually covered the regrowing wings with a jacket or cloak when out in public, but today he left them exposed as he practised. Aodhan took a moment to watch his friend and brother-in-arms. Even with the amputated wings, Illium was a deadly force, curving his sword around as gracefully as a dancer with silk ribbons.

Aodhan flew past and tipped his white wings to catch the sunlight, the resulting dazzle serving as a signal to Illium. The other angel paused in his motions to look up and smile, then continued. Taking the gesture as permission, Aodhan flew closer and landed on the corner of the roof to stay out of the way as Illium finished up.

They both may have been several centuries old, but it seemed like they had done the most growth in the past few years. With Aodhan finally able to start healing from his trauma and entering the modern world, and Illium standing by Raphael as the Archangel dealt with the twin threats of Lijuan and the Cascade, as well as nearly ascending himself, they both had to face their own demons. And realize what was worth fighting for.

Illium finished on a flourish that seemed needlessly elaborate, then all the tension dropped from his body and he grinned at Aodhan. “What do you think?” he asked.

“I think Galen would tell you to stop dancing and start fighting.” Aodhan stood next to him and made no secret of looking over Illium. “You’re adjusting well to the growing wings. No pain anymore?”

Illium shrugged as he sheathed the blade. “Just growing pains. I feel like an infant again.” He stretched out the stumps as far as they could go; they didn’t even match his arm span yet. They would grow back faster than an actual angel infant, but that would never be fast enough for an angel like Illium.

They were also covered in downy blue fluff. “You are as cute as one now, I suppose,” Aodhan said.

“Har har har. Are you picking up Ellie’s sense of humour? I can’t handle two of you.” Illium and Elena had been spending a lot of time together as both their wings regrew. Aodhan had caught Raphael’s Consort looking wistfully at Illium’s much larger wings a few times. She had to regrow not only the wings, but all the muscle and bone structure underneath. Aodhan knew better than anyone that recovery was a long process.

He looked over the skyline of the city. All types of healing were happening these days. “Want to go flying?”

Illium stilled. Aodhan didn’t turn, but he saw Illium tuck his wings in closer to his body. “Might need to give you a rain check on that one.”

“Unless you go with me.” Aodhan looked at him out of the corner of his eye, staying very still. If he moved, it would betray his plan.

“You mean...you? But—okay, I guess, if you’re sure—”

Illium didn’t get to finish his sentence as Aodhan tackled him off the edge of the roof.

&&&

Illium was more shocked by Aodhan grabbing him than he was to find himself plummeting down to the street below. Aodhan’s arms locked around his body and held him in a secure hold that Illium knew would never break.

Aodhan levelled out, and they buzzed over the traffic. Illium grinned as he saw people snapping pics. They would end up on all the angel watcher blogs for sure. He tipped his head back to watch the world rush by upside-down. He let out a whoop of joy and felt Aodhan’s laughter rumble in his chest, they were pressed so close together. How he missed flying. He had been grounded any number of times over the centuries and for a number of reasons. He could deal with it. But that didn’t mean he would ever take the skies for granted.

“Where are we going?” he asked as Aodhan left the skyscrapers behind.

“Somewhere with more space. And more privacy.”

They broke out over the docks and towards the open ocean. Aodhan started climbing into the clouds, and Illium closed his eyes to bask in the cold air and the sound of wingbeats. 

They didn't speak until the shore was lost behind them and there was nothing but sea and sky to witness their antics.

"Not that I'm not enjoying this, but did you have a plan for this outing?" Illium said.

"Perhaps," Aodhan said with the barest of smiles, and Illium knew he was in trouble.

Aodhan gave him a small squeeze in warning, then opened his arms. Illium dropped like a stone, surprised for the second time that day, before he twisted around to control his fall. Time to give Aodhan something of a challenge. He may have been the fastest angel in New York, but without wings, all he had was gravity. He tucked in his arms and streaked downward.

The grey water rushed up to him. A collision at his age wouldn’t kill him, but it would severely injure him and set back his recovery. Illium bared his teeth, daring the water to take him.

Seconds from impact, strong arms wrapped around him. Aodhan matched his speed to skim across the water. “You have a strange idea of flying, my friend,” Illium shouted.

“You teach infants to fly by dropping them,” Aodhan answered. “I’m just helping our Baby Bluebell grow up.”

Illium laughed as Aodhan once again began to climb. Over and over, Aodhan dropped and caught him. He was right; Illium felt like he was learning to fly all over again. Flaring out his arms and legs to slow down, arrowing his body to speed up, and trying to find different angles to cut through the air. At one point, he twisted onto his back to watch Aodhan come after him like living lightning. Illium never stopped smiling, and Aodhan was filled with a fierce brightness that was once rare, but becoming more and more common these days.

The sun soon dipped low enough to turn Aodhan’s white wings from lightning to burning flares. Illium admired them as they rose much more sedately. “How’re you doing, Sparkle?”

“Better. I’m glad for the chance to get away from the city. The repairs are slow, and some days it’s just a reminder of how much we lost.”

“I understand.” Every time he went past the giant plant-filled building where the Legion used to live, he still looked for the strange gargoyles among the vines. No signs yet of them rising again, but Elena and Raphael remained hopeful. Illium was glad for it; he needed someone else's hope some days. "Thank you for this. I also needed a break from, you know, everything."

Aodhan nodded in acknowledgement and stared out to sea as they circled through the headwinds, and Illium took the opportunity to watch him as closely as Aodhan did earlier on the rooftop. His shattered-diamond eyes were less remote, more given to laughter and mischief like they were as children. He still had a hard time with anyone but Illium touching him, but given the ease in his body as he held Illium, it was not a hardship right now.

"The others seem happy," Illium blurted. "The rest of the Seven, I mean. And Raphael."

Aodhan nodded again and waited. 

Illium felt like he was falling again, but without the reassurance of being caught. "They all found partners." It was hard to avoid Aodhan's gaze when they were only a few inches apart, but Illium gave it a shot. "I was thinking if they all found mates, why can't we?"

Aodhan's eyes widened. "I would think you could have your pick of partners."

“I suppose, but I don’t want just a random person. I think—I think I may have picked one already. If he agrees, I mean,” he rushed to add.

Aodhan’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes slowly drifted down Illium’s face to stop at his mouth. 

Ilium flexed his half-grown wings. If he could fly on his own, he would never have broached the subject. He would have run away from his emotions in order to avoid rejection and keep his friend exactly that—a friend.

“He might,” Aodhan said slowly, “if you asked him.”

Illium took a sharp intake of breath. He didn’t mean—did he? Illium leaned closer and had to ask, had to know— “Is this okay?”

“Yes,” Aodhan said and closed the distance between them, sealing his mouth over Illium’s. It was soft and delicate and wonderful and perfect, all the more so for the time it took to get here.

When they broke apart with a soft sigh, Aodhan pressed his forehead against Illium’s. “I’m glad I did not lose you in the war.”

“Death cannot stop something like this,” Illum said as he nuzzled against Aodhan. “Look at Dmitri.”

Aodhan huffed a soft laugh before he leaned back to look at Illium. “Do you really think we are like Dmitri and Honor?” He sounded scared and hopeful, and Illium somehow fell further.

“I think we have survived terrible things and come out stronger for it.” He kissed Aodhan again, because it seemed like he could just  _ do _ that now. “I think we earned this just as much as they did.” He wrapped his arms around Aodhan’s shoulders, mindful of his powerful wings, and let slip, “I want to dance with you.”

Aodhan stiffened, and Illium was tempted to fling himself into the ocean again. “When you’re ready. If you’re ready. If it takes a year, ten years, a hundred. Sorry, I’m an idiot. You can drop me into the ocean and make me swim back. I just—” Illium groaned. “I wanted you to know how much I want you. How much I’ve always wanted you. It took me seeing all our brothers finding mates to realize it, and I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner—”

“I would not have been ready sooner.” His expression was clear and honest. “This is our time now. Our turn. And I want you too. When your wings are back, we can dance.”

Illium kissed him hard, and Aodhan responded just as passionately. “I’m glad you came to New York.”

Aodhan broke into a broad grin, such a blatant display of joy that Illium was speechless. Beautiful Sparkle— _ his _ beautiful Sparkle—would blow everyone away if they saw him now. “You were worth coming back for,” Aodhan said. “And certainly worth staying for.” He twisted in the air and headed back to shore. “Are you ready to let our brothers and sire know we’ve been matched?”

Illium threw his head back and laughed, giddy from the day. “Elena is going to lose her mind.”

“I bet you she cries.”

“Yeah, she always had a thing for me. She’ll be heartbroken.”

Illium shrieked as Aodhan flipped him over to dangle him by one ankle. “What were you saying about letting you swim back?”

“You wouldn’t let me swim back,” Illium called, trying to be indigent and failing. “You love me too much.”

He’d said it without thinking, something he’d jokingly say to any member of his chosen family. But then Aodhan looked down at him with such softness that Illium sobered immediately.

“Yes, I suppose I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my upcoming projects at [trello](https://trello.com/b/RbCABI7q/fic-writing) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/alex_caligari)!


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